When many out-of-towners first visit the Mount Rushmore State, they seem surprised to find that our landscape is so diverse and beautiful, which we as South Dakotans often take for granted. That being said, whether you are a native South Dakotan ready to reconnect with our awe-inspiring nature or are visiting for the first time, we highly recommend visiting the jaw-dropping Yellow Mounds Overlook:

Nestled away within the must-see Badlands National Park, the Yellow Mounds Overlook is often called the most colorful portion of the Badlands, and for a good reason!
TripAdvisor/National Park Trips
Formed approximately 69-million-years ago due to geologic forces of deposition and erosion, the Badlands are comprised of buttes and pinnacles formed by an ancient sea.
TripAdvisor/Jim L
How did the Yellow Mounds get its distinct yellow color? It is thanks to the previously mentioned ancient sea, which drained and left behind decaying plants that turned the mounds yellow. 
TripAdvisor/ELKW

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In addition to the mounds themselves, the Yellow Mounds Overlook is home to out-of-this-world photo opportunities that you will not find anywhere else.
TripAdvisor/Christa_Hei
What is a trip to the Badlands without a scenic hike? The Yellow Mounds Overlook offers that, too, via a short and sweet 2-mile out-and-back trail. 
TripAdvisor/Tricia B
The Yellow Mounds Overlook and surrounding Badlands National Park are open 24/7 year-round, with an entrance fee of $30 per private vehicle (valid for 7 days). 
TripAdvisor/twdenman
To learn more about the Yellow Mounds Overlook and other breathtaking places around Badlands National Park, please visit the National Park Service's website.
TripAdvisor/ELKW

Do you have a favorite place that you would like to see featured on Only in South Dakota? Remember to nominate it here! For even more to do around the beautiful Badlands National Park, check out these 9 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Visiting South Dakota’s Badlands National Park.

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Featured Addresses
Yellow Mounds Overlook, SD-240, Wall, SD 57790, USA